QB Damon Huard - Broken collarbone - 9 weeks- Uncomfortable -I almost didn't put this on the list, but then I realized that although the Cardinals can no longer win a playoff spot, they still have a small chance at extending their GM contract. Of course, with this injury, that chance has now been reduced. The Cardinals face three struggling teams to finish their season - The Rams, Seahawks, and Buccaneers. The Cardinals need to win two out of three to get a contract extension, and at the point, that's all they're playing for.
At 79 THA and 71 Awareness, Huard isn't a huge lose, but with a lack of available QBs in the league, it's still going to hurt the Cardinals chances of winning two more games.
I'll give this an Uncomfortable because Damon Huard is no prize at QB, and they already weren't going to be relying on him to win games. Besides, their chances were already pretty low.
HB Willis McGahee - Dislocated knee - 6 weeks- Distressing - Even though the Panthers are 10-3 with three games left to go, they have yet to clinch a playoff spot. The NFC is tough this year with the Falcons one game behind them and many strong teams trying to earn a wild-card spot.
It's unfortunate that McGahee will miss six weeks, meaning he will most likely not return in the playoffs at all. I think a playoff spot isn't really in question for the Panthers, but this injury could cost them their division and a loss in the Playoffs. With a downgrade at HB and no decent HB2 option left, this could be just enough for the Panthers to lose a close one in the playoffs.
Losing a starting HB always hurts, but thankfully through decent depth and a game lead in their division, I don't think this one hurts too much. Yes, it 'could' cost them their division or a playoff win, but I don't think it will. Going with a Distressing on this one.
CB Brian Kelly - Broken jaw - 5 weeks- Distressing - It's safe to say that the Saints are out of the playoff race, however, like the Cardinals, they still have something to achieve this season and that's a contract extension. The Saints need just one more win to achieve this, but they have three tough match-ups ahead of them. This week against the Bucs is probably their best chance of grabbing this needed victory, but with the Buccaneers fighting for the same thing(To be discussed later) this could prove just as challenging as their following two games against the Falcons and the Panthers.
CB Brian Kelly is probably their best Corner, but they have a lot of CBs with similar value yet different strength and weaknesses, so it's hard for me to claim him as the best without a doubt. I think the Saints depth at CB should keep this injury from hurting much, and with only one more required win in the next three weeks, I think it's a very doable goal for the Saints to achieve.
This injury is going to put the pressure on the Saints to perform this week, because a loss this week is going to mean a very frustrating last two weeks for the Saints. I believe that this injury also deserves a Distressing rating. The same category as the McGahee injury, but with many different reasons.
HB Najeh Davenport - Mild concussion - 3 weeks- Trivial -The Packers literally only just got their starting HB Ahman Green back, and now they lose Davenport. Luckily for the Packers, they decided to trade for LaMont Jordan when Ahman Green went down, and that means Najeh Davenport is pretty expendable. I don't think he even had a recorded carry in his last two games. Was he hurt on a kick return?
Trivial.
HB LaDainian Tomlinson - Sprained elbow - 3 weeks- Distressing - I believe it was only a week or two that I commented to GM William Cook that he hasn't had any injuries, and now this is the second injury in only three games. This one is going to hurt much more than the first. The Cowboys have been relying on LaDainian Tomlinson to move the defensive closer in order to give the young Ben Roethlisberger space to perform.
The Cowboys do 'not' have a good backup and with Ben Roethlisberger probably being a little too young to lead this offense, I think that it's likely that this could cost the Cowboys a playoff spot.
However, their fight isn't over yet. They have no unwinnable games left on their schedule and at 8-5, even if they lose the division they could perhaps earn a wild-card spot. The Cowboys have an easier finish to their schedule than the Redskins, and with the Redskins recent loss to the Cowboys, I think the Cowboys have the slight advantage. Only time will tell if HB Justin Watson can help lead this Cowboys to their first playoff birth.
I'm going to label this as a Distressing as well. Three weeks injury means that LT could return for the playoffs, and their schedule puts them in a decent place for a division victory. Just up to Big Ben not to fuck it up.
SS Michael Lewis - Abdominal tear - 3 weeks- Uncomfortable - Michael Lewis is a great young safety, and it hurts the Eagles defense to lose him.
The Eagles may be out of the playoff race, but they are, like a few before them, fighting for a contract extension. They only need one more win to extend it. With the Eagles' ability to seemingly be able to win or loss any game any week, I think there is a good chance that the Eagles will walk away from one of these last three games as the victor, and I don't think they need SS Michael Lewis to do it.
Their schedule is manageable with games against the Cowboys, Rams, and the Bengals. I'm not sure which game they are going to win, but I think they'll be winning at least one of them. The loss of Lewis drops that chance, but I don't think by much. going to give this one an Uncomfortable.
FS Jermaine Phillips - Mild concussion - 3 weeks- Mild - The Bucs' win against the Chargers this week proves that they aren't quitting without a fight and that they 'can' win without Brad Johnson. The Bucs need two more wins to extend their contract, and three wins to finish at 10-6, which may not even earn them a playoff spot.
The Bucs face the Saints, Cardinals, and the Panthers. Notice a common theme with all those teams? Yeah... they are all fighting for something. The Saints and the Cardinals are fighting for contract extensions and the Panthers are fighting for a division victory and a bye. I do not like the Bucs chances to win two of these three games without Brad Johnson. The loss of FS Jermaine Phillips probably doesn't really change anything for me. The safety is young and full of potential, but I don't think the chance of the Bucs succeeding in this task changes much with this injury. I will still label it a Mild though.
WR Drew Bennett - Sprained elbow & CB Sam Madison - Mild concussion - 1 week- Distressing - These two injuries could be all that it takes for the Dolphins to lose the lead in their division this week. At 9-4 and a game ahead of the Patriots, a loss here makes them lose any tiebreaker against the Patriots.
Drew Bennett is their leading receiver and Sam Madison is their best Corner - though Patrick Surtain is a close second. They both have played vital roles in the Dolphins' success and without them a victory against the Patriots becomes a harder task. However, the Dolphins are lucky that they are both simple one week injuries. A win at home against the Patriots this week would basically win them the division, and these injuries make that a much harder task.
I went back and forth between Distressing and Intense a lot on this one. On one hand, they are just a week long injury, but on the other hand they 'could' linger and they're two star players for this team.
On one hand the injury could cost them the division, but on the other hand they will probably still find themselves as a wild-card team.
I'll stick with Distressing, because I think they still have a good shot at beating the Patriots this week and then they basically have no more worries.
